189: Chapter 189 Xiao Nianyin's Heartlessness, Xu Ruyu's Disappointment

The moment the nine-colored radiance seeped into the ground, dense silver patterns suddenly surfaced on the floor across the entire Law Execution Platform area!

Those patterns intertwined and spread like living creatures, forming a massive Formation that covered a radius of a hundred zhang!

In the center of the Formation, the phantom of a nine-tailed heavenly fox slowly rose, howling towards the sky and emitting an ancient and majestic aura!

"Heavenly Fox Illusion Realm!" Xiao Nianyin's pupils constricted, and her expression changed drastically. "Ancestor Tianhu?! She actually attached her Divine Thought to this white fox?!"

The entire audience was in an uproar!

Ancestor Tianhu!

The oldest existing being of the Taihu Clan, an old monster who had lived for an unknown number of millennia!

She had actually... come in person?!

Although it was only a wisp of her Divine Thought possessing the body, it was enough to show how much the Taihu Clan valued Xu Ruyu!

"Ancestor Tianhu," Xiao Nianyin suppressed the shock in her heart and said in a deep voice, "this is an internal affair of the Hehuan Sect. I ask that you do not interfere."

"Internal affairs?" The white fox—or rather, Ancestor Tianhu's Divine Thought—tilted its head, its amber eyes flashing with a deep light. "Xiao Yinzi, you want to kill someone my Taihu Clan intends to protect. You call this 'internal affairs'?"

"This boy stole our Sect's ultimate technique..."

"Stole?" Ancestor Tianhu interrupted her, her tone carrying a hint of sarcasm. "Xiao Yinzi, those words are quite dishonest."

"The Legacy of the One Sword of Emotional Heaven is right there in the Ancient Hall at the deepest part of the Hall of Power Transmission. Anyone has been able to enter for a hundred thousand years, but who besides this little fellow has obtained it?"

"Don't tell me you didn't know about this. Is it that you didn't know, or are you afraid that these Disciples will find out that you're trying to seize someone else's fortune?"

She paused, her voice turning cold:

"If you ask me, it's not that he stole it, but that you lack the ability."

"Sect Masters of every generation have wanted to obtain the Ancestral Master's Legacy. And the result? It's been a hundred thousand years, and not a single one has been able to enter the Ancient Hall and gain recognition."

"Now that someone has finally obtained it, instead of thinking about how to treat him with respect and seek guidance, you want to hunt and kill him—this is just jealousy, isn't it?"

"You!"

Xiao Nianyin's face turned ashen.

Ancestor Tianhu's words pierced into the depths of her heart like needles.

Jealousy?

Yes, she was jealous.

She was jealous that Xu Ruyu could gain the Ancestral Master's recognition, jealous that he possessed the Chaotic Spirit Physique, and jealous that he... despite being only in the Qi Refinement Stage, had repeatedly escaped her hands and even made her suffer a great loss in return!

This jealousy had been infinitely amplified after she began to Cultivate the Mystic Maidens Sun-Stealing Art.

The Mystic Maidens Sun-Stealing Art was a path of plunder, extremely Yang and rigid.

For a woman to Cultivate this technique was inherently against the Heavenly Dao of Yin and Yang harmony; it required the Primordial Yang of a man with a special Physique to harmonize the backlash.

But after harmonization, the technique's influence on one's Heart-Nature also began to manifest—

Overbearing, arbitrary, and self-centered!

Especially after the first Dual Cultivation with a man, this influence would increase dramatically.

The practitioner would gradually become paranoid and crazed. Their thirst for power would twist into an all-consuming possessiveness, and their tolerance for setbacks would drop to zero. Anyone who hindered her would be seen as an enemy that must be eliminated!

Xiao Nianyin was currently in this exact state.

That night with Xu Ruyu three months ago had not only harmonized her technique's backlash but had also completely ignited the demonic nature in her heart.

The current her was no longer that calm and rational Sect Master of Hehuan Sect, but a... lunatic driven by her Cultivation Technique and obsession!

"Ancestor Tianhu!"

Xiao Nianyin's voice suddenly rose, carrying a near-frenzied resolution:

"Today's matter is no longer a dispute over a Legacy, but a battle for the dignity of my Hehuan Sect!"

"This boy insulted our Sect, stole our ultimate technique, and even had... an improper intimacy with this seat yet shows no remorse!"

"If he is not executed, where will the face of my Hehuan Sect remain?!"

She turned abruptly, looked at the Elders below the platform, and said sharply:

"Elders! Madam Qingli has brought Ancestor Tianhu's Divine Thought to force her way into our Sect. On the surface, she is protecting Xu Ruyu, but in reality, she wants to take advantage of our Sect's internal strife to seize the Legacy of the One Sword of Emotional Heaven!"

"Their Taihu Clan has coveted our Sect's ultimate technique for a long time. Today is their chance!"

"What?!"

Hearing this, the expressions of the Elders below the platform all changed.

"Sect Master, is this true?"

An Elder with white hair and a white beard asked in a deep voice.

"Absolutely true!" A flash of cunning crossed Xiao Nianyin's eyes as she continued to incite them. "Think about it, if they didn't have a hidden agenda, why would someone of Ancestor Tianhu's status personally appear for a mere Qi Refining Stage Disciple?"

"And why would Madam Qingli defend this boy time and time again? They are clearly in collusion, wanting to claim our Sect's ultimate technique as their own!"

These words were half-true and half-false, yet they were extremely provocative.

The gazes of the Hehuan Sect Elders toward Madam Qingli and Ancestor Tianhu were instantly filled with vigilance and hostility.

Indeed, what kind of existence was Ancestor Tianhu? Why would she go to such lengths for a Qi Refining Stage Disciple? Unless... this Disciple had something she wanted!

And the Legacy of the One Sword of Emotional Heaven was undoubtedly the most logical explanation!

"Madam Qingli, you and our Sect's ancestor were originally close friends. You cannot deceive us on this matter," the white-haired Elder said solemnly. "I only ask you, is what the Sect Master said the truth?"

Madam Qingli frowned and was about to explain, but Xiao Nianyin cut her off first:

"The truth is, if they do not hand over Xu Ruyu and the Legacy of the One Sword of Emotional Heaven today, they are enemies of my Hehuan Sect!"

"Elders, set up the Formation! We must not let them leave!"

That Elder wanted to ask more, but the other Elders had already taken action.

"Yes!"

The Hehuan Sect Elders answered in unison.

In an instant, dozens of powerful auras soared into the sky!

Twenty Nascent Soul Elders and three hundred Golden Core Disciples simultaneously formed hand seals. Boundless spiritual power intertwined in the air, forming a massive encirclement that firmly locked down the entire Law Execution Platform area!

And the three Saint Realm Grand Elders flew directly behind Xiao Nianyin, forming a pincer Formation with her to lock onto Ancestor Tianhu's Divine Thought!

Four Saints surrounding one!

The situation reversed in an instant!

"Xiao Yinzi, you've really... grown quite capable."

Ancestor Tianhu's voice remained calm, but a hint of chilliness flashed in those amber eyes.

"To achieve your goals, you can even speak such lies that turn black into white."

"It seems the influence of the Mystic Maidens Sun-Stealing Art on you is even deeper than I imagined."

"Cut the crap!" Xiao Nianyin shouted sharply. "Today, either hand over Xu Ruyu and the Legacy, or... you will stay here forever!"

As her voice fell, she formed hand seals. Her ice-blue hair moved without wind, and a terrifying Saint Realm pressure erupted from her entire body!

The three Grand Elders also struck at the same time. The four Saint Realm powers merged in the air, transforming into a world-destroying torrent of energy that slammed violently toward Ancestor Tianhu's Divine Thought!

"Stubborn and incorrigible."

Ancestor Tianhu shook her head gently, and the nine-tailed phantom behind her suddenly expanded!

The nine fox tails were like nine giant pillars reaching for the heavens, forcefully withstanding the combined strike of the four Saints!

BOOM—!!!

A world-shaking explosion!

The entire Law Execution Platform area vibrated violently. Countless bottomless cracks split open on the ground, rocks crumbled, and buildings collapsed, as if the apocalypse had arrived!

And at this moment, Xu Ruyu stood in the center of the storm. Watching the fierce confrontation in the air and looking at Xiao Nianyin's face, which was distorted by madness, an indescribable feeling of... disappointment welled up in his heart.

Total disappointment.